49ers Jimmy Garoppolo all smiles with new deal

SANTA CLARA — Jimmy Garoppolo, who’s shown tremendous promise and poise in the pocket, is still trying to grasp his newfound status as the NFL’s highest-paid player.

“If you would have asked me as a little kid if I thought this was a reality, probably not,” Garoppolo said Friday, a day after signing a five-year pact worth up to $137.5 million and at least $74 million guaranteed.

“But you always dream about being an NFL quarterback and this is just taking another step in that direction.”

Sitting at a podium between general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan — all wearing suit jackets, collar shirts, no ties and a 49ers pin on their left lapel — Garoppolo reflected on how the 49ers won him over since an Oct. 30 trade from the New England Patriots.

“It was a number of things. The team, the acceptance they had of me from the get go, it was a very welcoming environment,” Garoppolo said. “We had success down the stretch and you could see pieces falling into place.”

The 49ers were poised to enter free agency with over $110 million in salary cap space, and they’ve crafted Garoppolo’s deal in a wise way to take advantage of that cushion, front-loading the deal with reportedly $42.6 million in 2018, according to ESPN and confirmed by a league source.

Paraag Marathe, the 49ers’ chief contract negotiator, said the 49ers still have $62 million to $63 million in cap room before free agency in March with what he hopes is “good mojo” from the Garoppolo deal. Lynch vowed to be “aggressively prudent” in free agency, and both he and Marathe noted the deal’s timing is key so Garoppolo’s presence can help recruit free agents next month.

“We’re fully aware of all the work we have to do. This was a big piece,” Lynch said. “Heading into free agency this is a big deal. It’s 75 degrees and sunny outside. We have this guy. Who wouldn’t want to be here?”

Added Garoppolo: “This is where I want to be, honestly. I wanted to get this deal done as fast as possible. It’s only going to help our team going forward into free agency.

“It is 75 degrees out here,” Garoppolo said, echoing Lynch’s pitch in the press conference. “It’s not a snowstorm like Chicago; we just came from that so I can speak on that. It’s a lot better here.”

Garoppolo, who grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois and played at Eastern Illinois, celebrated Thursday night by dining in San Francisco at International Smoke, Michael Mina’s and Ayesha Curry’s new hot spot.

“Had a nice little dinner last night up in San Fran,” said Garoppolo, perhaps coining a line that will show up on T-shirts considering how rabid the 49ers fanbase is with him.

Garoppolo didn’t have time for such excursions upon joining the 49ers last season as he embedded himself in the playbook. “I’m still trying to experience some of the Bay Area,” he added. “I’m excited to make this my home the next five years and hopefully more.”

Accompanied by his parents and three brothers, Garoppolo flew in on a private jet Thursday night. Signs around Levi’s Stadium facade: “Welcome Back Garoppolo Family.” Don Yee, his agent, did make the trip up from Los Angeles, but colleagues Steve Dubin and Carter Chow were there, as they were for Garoppolo’s starting debut Dec. 3 in Chicago.

“From the beginning, it was always positive, productive. It was never acrimonious,” Marathe said of contract talks. “All three of his agents are really professional, really smart, really good guys. … There was never a time where it was, ‘Oh, shoot, it’s not happening.’ ”

The Levi’s Stadium auditorium was packed not only with some media but also 49ers front office and marketing staff, coaches and several teammates, including defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, safety Jaquiski Tartt, linebacker Eli Harold and guard Joshua Garnett.

“We have one goal in mind: get to a Super Bowl and win it. We want a parade like Philly just had,” Garoppolo said. “We’re working in the right direction. There’s a lot of pieces that come into play. We’re putting those pieces into place and once the season comes we have to go out and perform.”

Shanahan is excited about getting to drill his offense into Garoppolo come April in an easier pace than last November’s and December’s cram sessions.

“It’s nice to start from scratch and go at a slower process,” Shanahan said. “He had a crash course and did a hell of a job picking it up. Now the rush isn’t quite the same. We can start from the beginning, from the first page instead of the 50th page.”

How did Garoppolo go 5-0 as the 49ers starter?

He credited the coaches for putting them in position to succeed, “and we just went out and executed.”

CEO Jed York is banking on more of the same from Garoppolo & Co.

“We’re here to try to win championships and you can’t win one if you don’t have a good quarterback,” York said. “We think Jimmy has a chance to be a really good quarterback. You already know he’s a great person, he comes from a great family, he has a great work ethic.”

York said all that made the deal “very easy for me to do” despite the massive payday. Such optimism made for a stark contrast to recent winter press conferences in which York has showed up regarding coaching changes.

“It’s weird because I rarely make mistakes,” York said in deadpan fashion. “It’s good but we can’t celebrate today. This isn’t the celebration day.

“This is the beginning of a lot of hard work. That’s what I’m excited about, to get back to work and know we have a chance to go where we want to go.”